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119-s-192119th Congress

Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Senator Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]

Introduced

Summary

Congress must expressly authorize any first-use nuclear strike. This bill would bar federal funds from being used to carry out a first-use nuclear attack unless Congress issues a declaration of war that expressly authorizes the strike.

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  • Presidents and the military would face a funding barrier to carrying out a first-use nuclear strike unless Congress declares war. The bill defines “first-use” to include attacks made without the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs confirming a nuclear strike against the United States, its territories, or its allies.
  • Congress would gain clearer control over whether the United States can launch a nuclear attack first by requiring an explicit declaration of war to permit such action.
  • The measure aims to lower the risk of an unauthorized or unilateral nuclear launch and the resulting mass casualties and long-term global health and environmental harms.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Ban federal funding for first-use nuclear strikes

This bill would ban using federal money to carry out a first-use nuclear strike. It would define a first-use strike as a nuclear attack done without confirmation to the President. The confirmation must come from the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Federal agencies could not obligate or spend funds for such strikes. The ban would not apply if Congress declared war and expressly authorized the strike.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]

MA • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 1/22/2025

  • Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 1/22/2025

  • Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]

    MD • D

    Sponsored 1/22/2025

  • Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT]

    VT • D

    Sponsored 1/22/2025

  • Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]

    VT • I

    Sponsored 1/22/2025

  • Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 1/22/2025

  • Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN]

    MN • D

    Sponsored 4/27/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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